Broadhurst moved by Ballesteros' plight

If Paul Broadhurst is successful at the Spanish Open this week and holds aloft the trophy he will take a reverent look down the list of previous winners and one name in particular will stand out - that of Seve Ballesteros.The Spanish legend has won the title three times and it was also his last victory on the European Tour in 1995 before a back problem curtailed his career and he eventually retired.However, the 52-year-old is now fighting to overcome cancer.

If Paul Broadhurst is successful at the Spanish Open this week and holds aloft the trophy he will take a reverent look down the list of previous winners and one name in particular will stand out - that of Seve Ballesteros.

The Spanish legend has won the title three times and it was also his last victory on the European Tour in 1995 before a back problem curtailed his career and he eventually retired.However, the 52-year-old is now fighting to overcome cancer. Last year he underwent two major operations to remove a brain tumour and has recently been through his fourth bout of chemotherapy.The former European Ryder Cup captain sent an emotional letter to the European Tour at the Masters at Augusta earlier this month, read out by his close friend José María Olazábal, and Broadhurst, who was a team-mate of Ballesteros’ at the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island, said Olazábal had been keeping him informed of Ballesteros’ condition.“Jose gives me brief updates of how Seve is getting on when I see him,” said Broadhurst, from Atherstone in North Warwickshire.“Seve is a fighter and I hope he can beat it. My thoughts are with him.“He is an inspirational character and was probably more of a captain to the young players in 1991 than Bernard Gallacher at the time. He would show us the odd shot and keep encouraging us.“We have played in Spain since the news broke before so I don’t think this tournament will hold any particular relevance but if I win and I am standing there holding the trophy on Sunday then I am sure I will give a good glance at his name.”Whether Broadhurst will be a contender for the title at the PGA Golf de Catalunya in Girona even he doesn’t know. After a slow start to the season, the 43-year-old father of four hit form at the Estoril Open de Portugal at the start of the month, where he finished tied in fourth place.However, he has not played competitively since as he has been on a family holiday for the past fortnight and admits he may be a little rusty.“I played some holiday golf with my son, and I have played a lot of practise rounds since I came back, but nothing else,” he said.“I was just starting to find my form but I had planned the holiday a long time ago so I can’t complain.“I am not sure how I will do. It is a tight course and if I don’t do well I will use it as a building block for the next few weeks.”The Spanish Open is the first of a run of seven consecutive tournaments in Europe after the tour returned from the Asia, and Broadhurst admits this impending run of competitions could make or break his season.“After Spain it is over to Italy and then Ireland before we have the PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Open in Kent, the Welsh Open at Celtic Manor and finally he head to Austria, so it could be a pretty intense period, depending on whether I make the cuts that is,” he said. “I want to make the cut for seven weeks on the trot and that is my initial aim because how I do over the next two months could determine how easy a passage am I am going to get to retain my European Tour card, which is the first aim.“Of course, one good result and I may not have to worry about that but there is no doubt it could make or break my season.”Broadhurst will be joined in Spain by fellow Midlanders John Bickerton of Redditch, who was the runner-up in 2006, Steve Webster of Atherstone, Rob Rock of Armitage and Sam Walker of Sutton Coldfield.